Discrimination Against Justice Sector no better than Racism

June 20, 2020

Letter to the editor:

Discrimination Against Justice Sector no better than Racism

Dear readers,

Yes folks, racism is wrong..  But so is any expression of "generalized hatred" against any justice sector group or industry.

Folks suggesting that “all police officers are racist” are just as guilty of discrimination as any other type of discrimination.

Folks who post pictures on twitter suggesting that people set fire to police cars, are discriminatory.

Furthermore, gay or trans people who make blanket generalized comments that all police officers and all police organizations are homophobic and transphobic, are discriminatory.

For the record, I am a transwoman who has been open about my trans status since late 2007. I know what discrimination looks like because I have experienced it firsthand.  Ironically, the only two organizations who have been willing to offer me employment (and happy to have me) in the past 12 years are a Crown Attorney's Office and a Police Station. This despite a wide variety of education and work experiences in various other industries.

The Newfoundland justice system has very many great hard working decent people. This includes police officers, lawyers, judges, sheriff officers, law clerks, legal secretaries, civilian dispatchers, policy analysts, and a variety of other people who are essential to keeping our streets safe.  I am proud to call many of these people friends and consider some of them like family.

For all you people reading this who work in the Justice sector, whether you are black, white, male, female, trans, cis, gay, straight, or anything else, know that you are appreciated!

Jennifer McCreath
St John’s, NL
jennifer.mccreath@yahoo.com

(Jennifer McCreath is a trans-activist who has lived in St. John's, NL since 2007. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Administration Management from Athabasca U. She co-founded St. John's Pride Inc. in 2010. She has run for political office in Newfoundland 3 times. She has worked as a policy analyst in both Ontario and Newfoundland Governments. She has also worked for the NL Crown Attorneys' Office, and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary.)

Follow @Jenn_McCreath Tweet